| Author: Stacey Moore |
It's enough to make a parent shriek in frustration: You send your perfectly healthy child off to day care or preschool only to have him come home as sick as a dog.
Fevers. Colds. Rashes. Viral infections. You name it, there's likely some dastardly microorganism out there trying to wreak havoc with your little darling.
In fact, the Centers for Disease Control recently found that infectious diseases account for 40 percent of all doctor's office visits for illness among all children and about half of the doctor visits for preschool-aged children.
"When you have a group of children in close proximity, you're going to have germs," says Amy Lipton, a mother and CEO of Stuck on You, which specializes in ways to help parents and teachers keep kids healthier and organized. "The key to keeping kids healthy is to find ways to stop them from spreading those germs or otherwise making themselves sick."
Lipton encourages taking the following simple actions:
? Wash hands regularly. A study published in Family Medicine found that when teachers schedule hand washing at least four times a day, it's possible to reduce gastrointestinal illness and related absences by more than 50 percent. Post a schedule of hand- washing times, including before and after meals and snacks, as well as after outdoor play. Reward children with stickers or other small tokens for perfect hand-washing records.
? Avoid even inadvertent sharing that can spread germs. Since most toddlers can't read their names, create individualized stickers with special pictures and colors to help them spot their sippy cups, pacifiers and lunch boxes.
? Stay alert to allergies. Some experts estimate that food allergies can affect as many as 10 percent of young children, causing wheezing, hives and sometimes life-threatening reactions. Set up allergen-free zones within the classroom, using Stuck on You's allergy pack of customized labels and wristbands as red flags, to prevent exposure to substances that can be dangerous to kids with allergies.
Lipton is a big believer in taking "age-appropriate precautions" to ensure children's health. No doubt this is one reason why Stuck on You created a range of sticky dot labels and personalized stickers to keep kids organized, safe and healthy. When kids go to babysitters, day care and the playground, their bottles, hats, juice cups and toys often end up getting mixed up or lost. These durable and child-friendly labels make it easier for everyone to keep track of their things and avoid unwanted sharing. |
Author Bio:
Products that earn the ENERGY STAR prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. EPA and DOE. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov. Using energy efficiently at home can be as easy as changing a light bulb. |
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